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The 13U AA Royals pose for a photo after winning Baseball Sask.'s Minor Team of the Year award in Saskatoon on Oct. 21, 2023. (Prince Albert Minor Baseball/Facebook)
Prestigious honours

Prince Albert Minor Baseball wins big at Baseball Sask. awards

Oct 21, 2023 | 5:37 PM

It was a golden afternoon for the Prince Albert Minor Baseball Association (PAMBA) at the Baseball Sask. awards on Saturday.

PAMBA took home three major awards at the ceremony in Saskatoon, including the 13U AA Royals team winning Minor Team of the Year, former President Duane Krip winning Builder of the Year, and PAMBA as a whole winning Minor Ball Club of the Year.

The 13U AA Royals winning Minor Team of the Year is a fitting end to their historic season after not only winning Provincials on home field, but capturing a Western Canadian Baseball Championship at home as well. Current President of PAMBA Nathan Noble was a coach on that 13U AA team, saying he’s happy that their hard work on and off the field didn’t go unrecognized.

“It was obviously a huge honour to get that award,” he said. “Those kids and the families and everyone associated with the club has put a lot of work in this year and, at the same time had a lot of success along the way, all the way to Western Championship where we were lucky enough to host that at the end so it was a very rewarding year and it’s nice to be recognized.”

Earlier this summer, the Royals punched their ticket to the Western Canadian Baseball Championships in Kelowna and were actually midway through a game when an approaching wildfire in the area forced the tournament’s cancellation. After brief discussions and quick planning, the Royals and PAMBA stepped up and hosted a revised tournament with four teams instead of the original six.

READ MORE: ‘I’m so proud of these boys’; P.A. Royals win 13U AA Western Baseball Championships

Former President Duane Krip was recognized by Baseball Sask. as Builder of the Year where Noble spoke on the great leader he was and how influential he is to baseball in Prince Albert.

“Duane is going to be missed in Prince Albert as well as within our organization. He’s been a huge part of creating a great atmosphere and a great organization in Prince Albert Minor Baseball. We’re going to do our best to pick up [on] everything he’s done and keep building baseball. Baseball is very strong and vibrant in Prince Albert right now.”

Former PAMBA President Duane Krip accepts his award for Builder of the Year. (Prince Albert Minor Baseball/Facebook)

As the new acting President of PAMBA, Noble said that plans are in the works to further improve its baseball facilities in the city, including the addition of permanent scoreboards at the Kinsmen Baseball Complex in Crescent Acres as well as portable ones at Mair Park.

loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

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